Massaging machine



Oct. 3, 1933. J. A. WEAVER 1,929,107

MASSAGING @ACHINE Filed DSG. 16, 1932 Patented Oct. 3,v 1933 John Weaver, Greeley, Colo.

'Application December 16,' 1932 Serial No.` 647,541

3 claims. (C1. 12s-s3) l This invention relates to improvements in massaging machines or devices and hasreference more particularly to a device by means of which a person can massage his own back.

It is the object of this inventionto producea massaging machine or device in the form of a chair which shall beso constructed that a person seated on the chair can operate a movable mas-V Y saging mechanism comprising massaging rollers 0 and move them up and down in contact with his own back.

The invention, briefly described, consists of a chair of solid and i substantial construction which is provided with a straight back Whose height is substantially equal to the height of an ordinary personl sitting on the chair. `Secured to the chair and forming part ofthe back structure are two spaced parallel, vertical guides toy which is slidably secured alframe having aV shaft on which .is mounted for rotation a" massage roller. Means comprisingcords and pulleys are connected with the frame Vin such a Way that the person sitting on theA chair by exerting va pull on the ends of the cords can raise the massaging mechanism which will travel along the guides. The parts are so adjusted that the roller will come in contact with'the back of the personsitting on the chair` and exert the desired massaging action. For the purpose of moving the massaging mechanismdownwardly, oneor more Weghtsare attached to it of sufficient value to overcome the resistance and to cause it to move downwardly when the tension is removedfrom the cords. A head rest is also slidably secured to the guides in such away that it can be adjusted to the proper height' to suit the person operating the device. An elastic fabric is secured to the chair andprovided'with straps or buckles so arranged that the operator can attach himself to the chair by means of the elastic fabric and in this way the operator will be held in proper position without undue effort.` g v.

Having thus briefly described the invention, the same will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference'will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment l.ordinary chair.

Aof the chair may have spaced supporting portions Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing the massaging mechanism that .is slidably connected with the guides;

Fig. 6 is an endview of a massagingroller;

Fig. '7 is an edge view. of the roller shown in 69 Fig. 6.; and l Y e Fig.l 8 is a section through the massaging roller.

InVY the drawingreference numeral 1 indicates theseat of achair and this seat is supported on a frame 2 which in turn issupported on two short legs 3 and Vtwo upwardly extending legs 4.v The exact construction of the frame work of the chair is immaterial as the invention is entirely independent of the specific construction exceptto the extent that the legs 4 extend upwardly to a greaterheight than the corresponding members of an `The rear legs 4 are connected at their upper ends by means of a transverse bar -5 and at a point below the seatV by atransverse bar 6. Secured atV their endsto the bars 5 and 6 are two guides 7. These guides may Vbe round steel bars and are eachprovided at each `end. with a bracket 8 which lissecured to the transverse bars by means of screws as shown. The back 9 that are made out of ply wood or similar material and the adjacent edges of these members are spaced so as to provide an opening extending `between theseat andthe under side of the transf verse bar 5. VA head rest comprising a transverse vbar 10 is slidably secured to the guides 7 and is provided with clamping screws 11 by means of which it can be held in adjusted position. On the front side of the bar l0 is a U-shaped bracketr12 9o whose ,ends are provided with padsl 13 that can be adjusted to t against the back of the neck of the operator in the manner shown clearly in Fig. 1. Slidably connected with the guide 7 is a massaging device. This device consists of two metal castings which have been designated by reference numeral 14 and `which may be substantially iden- Y tical in size and shape. Each of the members 14 are provided with two lugs 15 that areperforated Vfor the reception of the guide -7 in vthemanner 100 shown quitejclearly in Fig. 5. Each member 14 is also Vprovided with a hub. lrwhich is perforated for-the reception ofv one end of thev shaft 1'7.` The hub on the righthand member shown in Fig. 5 difersfrom that of the other member, vin this, that it is provided with an openingrlS through one side. The reason for this opening is that whenever it is desired to substitute a new shaft and a new roller, this can readily be done by loosening the screw 19 of the clamping device 20, thereby making it possible to move the end of the shaft 17 upwardly through the opening 18. wheree upon it can be rotated about the lefthand guide 7 and extracted from the socket in the hub 16. After a new shafthas been inserted in the socket, the parts are moved back into position and the shaft is moved downwardly through the opening 18 and clamped in position in the manner shown quite clearly' in Fig. 5. The lugs or ears 15 are preferably spaced as far apart as practical so as to prevent binding if the force applied to membersV 14 should vary in intensity. Secured to each member 14 is one end of a cord or cable 21 and these cords extend upwardly and over swivelled pulleys 22. The free ends of the cords are provided with hand grips 23 that can 4be grasped by the operator who is thus in position by merely moving his arms to raise and lower the massaging device. The guides '7 are so positioned with respect to the chair and the roller 24 is of such size that when a person is properly adjusted, the roller will press against the back with the re- `quired amount of force. The guide '7v serves to predetermine the path of the roller and the operator by properly'positioning his body can direct the massaging action so that it will follow the line of his back bone in a manner quite obvious lfrom the drawing. Each'of the members v-1-4 are provided with downwardly extending rods 25 to which weights 26 are secured. The r number of weights necessary to cause the massaging device to return is applied to the supporting bars 25; and therefore whenever the operator extends his arms in such a way as to draw the cords 21 upwardly,

- the massaging device will travel upwardly and whenever the operator releases his tension on the cords, the massaging device will move downwardly by the action of gravity. I

In Vorder to properly position the operator an elastic fabric 2'7 is attached at one end to one of the uprights 4 and is provided at its other end with buckles 27. Straps 28 aresecured to the other upright and cooperate with the buckles as shown in Fig. 1. Since ythe fabric is elastic' it permits a slight movement of the body, but always exertsA a constant yielding -force tending to maintain the back against the `uprights 9.

In the drawing only one formof massaging roller has been shown, but'it is the intention to supply a number of different types of rollers and rollers of different ysizes so that any effect desired can be obtained. The massaging device itself is constructed in accordance with the disclosure in United States Patent No. 1,533,528, granted to me on April 14, 1925.

From the above description it will be apparent that by means of the massaging machine described, it is possible for any one to massage his own back 4to any'extent desired and since such massaging action has -been found by experience to be a `great benefit to the circulation and to the nervous system, the constant use of this device will soon give benecial results. f l

In thev form illustrated on thedrawing and description above, the invention has been shown as embodied in 'a structure of a specific construction, but it is obvious that the exact construction of the machine can be varied within reasonable limits and that the essential features consist in the chair having a seat that supports the body and having a back against which the back of the operator can rest and this chair back is provided with an opening extending from the seat to the head rest so as to permit the rollers to come in contact with the body. Any chair having the features just mentioned can be combined with the other features shown to produce the desired result. A

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:v

1. A massage machine comprising, in combination, a chair having a seat and a back rest provided with an opening extending upwardly from the seat porton, guide bars located on opposite sides of the lopening in the back rest, a massaging device slidably connected with the guide bars, said device comprising a roller which extends through the opening for engagement with the body lof a person seatedvon the chair, a head rest adjustably secured to the guide bars, and means for reciprocating the vmassaging device along the guide bars, the last named means comprising cords attached'at one end to the massage device and passing over pulleys attached to the back rest.

2. A massage machine comprising, in combinal'ton, a chair having a seat and a back rest provided with an opening extending upwardly from the seat, guide bars secured to the rear of the backreston opposite sides of the opening, a .head

connecting the two members, a roller mounted for rotation on the shaft, the roller being of such size thatfits forward side projects through 'the opening `in the back rest and into position to cngage the'body of a person seated on the chair, pulleys secured to the back rest and cords attached to the massaging device and passed over the pulleys for moving the massaging device upwardly and means for returning the massage devicewhen the tension is removed from the cords. v v

3. A massage machine comprising, in combination, a chair having a seat and a back rest provided with anl opening extending 'upwardly from the seat', Aguide bars secured to the rear of the back rest on opposite sides of the opening', a head rest 'adjustably connected with the guide bars, a massage devce slidably connected with the guide bars, said device comprising two members, each slidably connected with a guide bar, ak shaft connecting the two members, a roller mounted for rotation on the shaft, the roller being of Asuch size that its forward side projects` through the opening in the back rest and into poe sition to engage the Vbody of a person seated on the chair, pulleys securedto the back rest and cords attached to the' massaging device and passed over the pulleys for moving the massaging device upwardly, means for returning 'the massage device when the tension is removed from the cords,

an elastic fabric secured to one side of the back 140 rest, and means for releasably attaching it to the other side of the back rest.

JOHN A. WEAVER. 

